DC Comics Announces Iconic Covers Coming in 2011

This coming January, you’ll notice something unique about the cover treatments for DCU titles hitting that month.  Each title gets a unique and yet familiar logo treatment that brings the focus on the characters and stars of their respective books. 

New year. New beginnings. New focus.

This January will see a handful of one-shots spotlighting some of the key players in the DCU by an A-list assortment of creators, including James Robinson, Eric Wallace, J.T. Krul and more. 

Here’s the breakdown:

STARMAN /CONGORILLA #1
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by BRETT BOOTH
Cover by GENE HA

In this tie-in to the “JLA Omega” storyline, the new blue and gold team of Congorilla and Mikaal Tomas work to unlock the secrets behind the toxic Omega Man’s dark energy, which encases Washington D.C. To do this they must embark on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth, encountering diverse heroes from the DCU along the way including Animal Man, Sirocco and a certain wonder dog named Rex. And all the while, Mikaal and Congorilla must outrun and outwit a cadre of terrorist assassins from Gorilla City. This is a breakneck chase through the DCU, but with a serious end-goal – saving the lives of their fellow members of the JLA!

ONE-SHOT • On sale JANUARY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

SHAZAM! #1
Script by ERIC WALLACE
Art by CLIFF RICHARDS
Cover by CLIFF CHIANG

Blaze, the current ruler of Hell, has an offer for Mary and Billy Batson that may be too good to pass up! Left powerless, will the two former heroes have the strength to deny the devil? Can Freddy Freeman save them? And how does the Titan Osiris fit into it all? Find out here, in this one-shot special written by Eric Wallace (TITANS) with art by Cliff Richards (THE ROAD HOME: BATMAN & ROBIN #1)!

ONE-SHOT • On sale JANUARY 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

STEEL #1
Written by STEVE LYONS
Art by SEAN CHEN
Cover by ALEX GARNER

John Henry Irons is a normal human being who managed to overcome all odds and become a hero who Superman considers a peer and colleague. What kind of determination drives a man to reach such heights? Find out here as a battered and bruised Steel defiantly stands as the only thing between Metallo and the destruction of Metropolis! Doctor Who novelist Steve Lyons and artist Sean Chen (ACTION COMICS, SALVATION RUN) deliver a story that shows why Steel is a true DC Universe icon!

ONE-SHOT • On sale JANUARY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

WONDER GIRL #1
Written by JT KRUL
Art by ADRIANA MELO & MARIAH BENES
Cover by NICOLA SCOTT & DOUG HAZLEWOOD

Spinning out of the pages of TEEN TITANS comes this spotlight on Cassie Sandsmark, the wonderful Wonder Girl! Even though not every moment of Wonder Girl’s life is spent being a Titan, strange adventures still follow her everywhere. In this issue, she’ll cross paths with the odd new hero known as Solstice!

ONE-SHOT • On sale JANUARY 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Marvel 's Scariest Wolverine Cover Ever

Admittedly,  I do not read Wolverine all that often.  Not that I don't like him as a character, but mainly because there are just too many titles.  As a novice Wolverine reader I am confused when it comes to the continuity of this character and his relationship with the X-Men and the Marvel Universe.  Similar to what DC is doing with Batman.

"What If? Wolverine: Father" cover by Leinil Francis Yuonly only adds to my confusion.  Not that the art isn't wonderful but my Lord this makes this character even more confusing for a non-die-hard fan. 

Could that kid be anymore scary?  Freakin kid is like something out of a John Carpenter or Wes Craven movie. I thought "Child's Play" was scary, but Chucky's a light-weight compared to this thing.

Jock's Cover to DETECTIVE COMICS #872 is a Gas!

I love Jock's work on SCALPED and GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE so I was very excited when DC announced that he would become the new artist on DETECTIVE COMICS.

AMERICAN VAMPIRE writer Scott Snyder and THE LOSERS artist Jock are going to turn this title into a Batman noir book.   A gritty, dynamic and edgy visual representation," is how the new DETECTIVE COMICS creative team is describing their take on Batman.

The cover above is the second installment of “The Black Mirror” arc, in which “a series of brutal murders pushes Batman’s detective skills to the limit and forces him to confront one of Gotham City’s oldest evils.” DETECTIVE COMICS #872 is due in stores in December.

Can you Spot the TWO Clues to the Future of the DCU in this JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #10 Cover?

DC Comics Blog The Source posted this cover to JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #10 by Kevin Maguire.  This cover apparently contains two hints about what is to come in the DCU in the year to come.  Can you figure it out?  If so please let us know!

DC Universe Legacies #7 Cover is Really Cool

The DC Universe Legacies book is an interesting concept.  I'm always a sucker for a good concise retelling of the history of DC Comics.  Having said that, after reading DCU Legacies #1 of the series, I came away thinking two things:

• I was less than impressed with that first issue.
• I couldn't think of any reason why I wouldn't wait to read this all together in a trade. 

Having said that DC Comics recently released the cover to Issue #7, and it is really sweet.  The Half Doomsday - Half Bane background with Superman and Batman in the foreground is brilliant in my mind. 

I may have to buy that issue for the cover alone. 

BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME Covers are HUGE (and Batastic)!

DC promised us something big when they announced the BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME books last month,.  Although, I must have missed the fact that the cover would be a connected image, featuring a number of the key characters that reside on the Bat-universe. The wonderful cover art was done by none other than SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE artist Shane Davis.  Click on the above image to see the beautifully detailed images from the BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME cover.

Source DC: The Source

Mark Waid Tweets New IRREDEEMABLE Alternative Cover

Mark Waid sent out this hilarious tweet and picture.  Just fantastic.

MarkWaid "Hey, @boomstudios and @petergkrause , good news! I found that alternate cover we were looking for. ..."

Dustin Nguyen's Beautiful Cover to Batman Beyond #4

This is Dustin Nguyen's contribution to the homage covers we're doing this year for DC's 75th anniversary. this one being after the very amazing Marshall Rogers' cover to Detective #471.

The book comes out in September, first issue starts this month, solicitation reads-

BATMAN BEYOND #4
Written by ADAM BEECHEN
Art by RYAN BENJAMIN and JOHN STANISCI
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
This is it! The mystery killer is unmasked! The secret of the new Catwoman is revealed! Gotham City is under siege! Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne are at odds! And Batman is torn between duty, doubt, and a vengeance-crazed super-villain!
On sale SEPTEMBER 15 • 4 of 6 • 32 pg, FC $2.99 US

iZombie #5 Cover Art Best We've Seen

Michael Allred produced one of the best comic book covers, Gfest has seen in along, long time.  It's original. It's creative. It's beautiful. It's iZombie #5.  Enjoy the preview.  iZombie #5 will be available in September.

Covers To Brightest Day #4 Revealed

Black Lantern Firestorm and Black Lantern Hawkman And Hawkgirl?  WTF!

These beautiful covers are courtesy of the source and Johns, Tomasi, Reis, Finch, Gleason, Clark and Syaf.

Brightest Day #4 hits Wednesday and Gfest hopes the story itself is as good as the cover art because the last three issues have been slow to say the least.

Dark Tower: The Gunslinger - The Journey Begins #4 Cover Art

Sean Phillips and Richard Isanove produced this beautiful cover for the new Dark Tower series entitled the "Journey Begins" issue #4. Gfest is a huge fan of the Dark Tower series and are extremely excited that Marvel decided to keep this series going after the first four story arcs.

The preview of issue #4 of  Dark Tower: The Gunslinger - "The Journey Begins" explains that:

It’s nooses and Not-Men for Roland when the last gunslinger and his faithful billy bumbler enter the positively medieval Kingstown. But gallows and the invisible thugs that fill their knots are the least of Roland’s worries, as a face long consigned to a burned Charyou tree rises from the ashes...

 Issue #1 of this series hit the stores today fellow gunslingers.

New DC 75th Variant Cover for BATMAN #700

As most of you Gfest readers know, 2010 marks the 75th anniversary of DC Comics.

So, as part of a line-wide celebration of DC Comics’ 75th, they will be rolling out a number of special variant covers by some of the biggest names in the industry.  But these aren’t standard variants. No, these covers will take a classic image from DC’s illustrious history and present a new, re-imagined version by an all-star list of artists.

The first release is a recreation of Detective Comics #168, originally drawn by Lew Sayre Schwartz.  The cover of the issue went down in history as one of the most iconic covers of the Golden Age.
 
Hellboy creator Mike Mignola would does a beautiful recreation of Schwartz's work for DC 75th variant for Batman #700.

David Finch's Deadman Cover to Brightest Day #7

Brightest Day #7 - there can be only one who wields the White Lantern…but is it truly Deadman? And what will happen when he attempts to charge the white ring? Meanwhile, Ronnie Raymond risks everything for Firestorm, Martian Manhunter uncovers more clues about the bizarre string of murders stretching across the country, Aquaman searches for the key to the ocean’s survival and the Hawks come face-to-face with the evil that lurks within the strange land known only as Hawkworld!

David Finch created this beautiful cover to Brightest Day #7.  It's very interesting (and very cool) to see Deadman back in the old costume again.

New Batman #702 Brightest Day Cover

Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel \continue their captivating untold tale of Bruce Wayne and his adventures between Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis! Discover the shocking secrets that point toward The Return of Bruce Wayne that DC couldn’t show you until now!

Gfest hopes Batman #702 better than The Return of Bruce Wayne #1, which was BORING.... Although, the Tony Daniel cover of this issue freakin beautiful!

First Look at Cover Art of Image Comics, Gurdians of the Globe Miniseries

If you are one of the two or three avid readers of Gfest you know that we love comic genius Robert Kirkman.  In fact, we said a little while back, "There are maybe a dozen books on the market right now that cause Gfest excitement upon their monthly release dates. The genius named Robert Kirkman authors two of these books - The Walking Dead and Invincible."

Gfest was ecstatic earlier this year to find out that Robert Kirkman  is going to release a six issue miniseries in August, entitled Guardians of the Globe to fill the holes in the Invincible universe during "The Viltrumite War" story arc. 

Fortunately Diamond gave us a peak at the cover for the August release of Guardians of the Globe #1.   It looks great!

New Rasl #8 Cover Revealed

Gfest is a HUGE fan of Jeff Smith because of his epic story entitled Bone, Gfets picked up the first volume of Rasl.  We waited for the first trade knowing that the single issues were coming out on an irregular basis.  While it takes a little bit of commitment to become engaged in the plot and begin to understand the premise, we found by the end of Volume one, we were extremely excited and pick up Volume two and fell head over heels for this story.  


Jeff Smith's website Boneville just released the cover art for Rasl #8 and it's delicate mixture of beauty and creepy.  It's got Gfest excited for the next issue. Enjoy this beautiful cover of one of the most disturbing looking little girls in comics.